Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free 7/17

[Zip City]

Finally giving this a first listen. I really like the first song right out of the gate

[Zip City]

I now need to reread this entire thread, but my general reaction is that you guys are all crazy. This is an extremely good record. Putting it last on your list of favorites is crazy talk

[Smitty]

I now need to reread this entire thread, but my general reaction is that you guys are all crazy. This is an extremely good record. Putting it last on your list of favorites is crazy talk

I would be shocked if you didn't like it, Zip. This record will definitely resonate with fans of musicians like Chris Thile, the Avett Brothers, Shovels & Rope, etc.
That's not an insult and I don't mean to seem condescending, but it's definitely got that vibe, especially when compared to his other records.

[Iowan]

Finally giving this a first listen. I really like the first song right out of the gate

It's one of the best on the album.

I agree with Smitty's take in the post above mine. Jason has moved into a different. There are still some great songs here, but as a whole it's not moving my needle a ton.

[Iowan]

on first listen...this album was a disappointment. I kept waiting for the rock to bust out and it never did...I read a review that said on "band that I loved" there were Neil Young like guitar solos...nope...nothing of the such...

Yeah, nothing Shakey on that one.

As Duke said, Children of Children is the one where he channels Neil.

[Zip City]

I now need to reread this entire thread, but my general reaction is that you guys are all crazy. This is an extremely good record. Putting it last on your list of favorites is crazy talk

I would be shocked if you didn't like it, Zip. This record will definitely resonate with fans of musicians like Chris Thile, the Avett Brothers, Shovels & Rope, etc.
That's not an insult and I don't mean to seem condescending, but it's definitely got that vibe, especially when compared to his other records.

Perhaps you're right, though I don't think he sounds like any of those bands. This album has a definite throw back feel to it. That's not exactly the right term, but some of the songs sound of another time.

[Tequila Cowboy]

I love that throwback feel on If It Takes a Lifetime. Most of my issues here are that Cobb mixes the vocals way too high in the mix and every time I listen to 24 Frames it sticks in my head for hours and I don't trust songs like that. I was similar with Cooley''s Birthday Boy, although when he slowed it down to a dirge acoustically I actually dug it. Similarly Springsteen's Born in the USA From Nebraska outakes (and Jason and Amanda's excellent cover in that style) as opposed to the annoyingly sacharine hit version is another example.

[Zip City]

24 Frames is that song that a) is my least favorite and b) gets stuck in my head. I mean, he wrote a catchy hook I guess, but it always bugs me when the worst song is the first single released

[Smitty]

See, I think 24 Frames is the best song on the record. It's a deceivingly simple little pop song that's more likely to resonate with casual listeners.

Dean, I totally don't understand your trust issues with catchy songs. That shit shot way over my head.

[Zip City]

Well I don't understand his thinking that Cobb mixes the vocals too hot, so....

[lotusamerica]

24 Frames is that song that a) is my least favorite and b) gets stuck in my head. I mean, he wrote a catchy hook I guess, but it always bugs me when the worst song is the first single released

Not the worst song on the record and it seems like the most logical song for a first "single."

But yeah it's a singer-songwriter throwback record with bits of Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, the obvious nod to joe South, maybe even a little James Taylor mixed in, along with bits of the Band and other 70s country rock bands.

[Beebs]

it sticks in my head for hours and I don't trust songs like that.

Dean, I totally don't understand your trust issues with catchy songs. That shit shot way over my head.

Mrs Beebs and I can't stop humming Range War to each other. Really, it's bad, been weeks (this time) can't stop. I love that song... but now we kinda hate it. It's a catchy song we loved that now we can't trust.

We are into some fascinating territory.

[Smitty]

Oh, I definitely understand the negative aspect of getting an annoying song stuck in my head. God forbid, this has made me think of that godawful Joe Diffie song ("They Got a Love Bigger than the Beatles") which will no doubt drive me close to suicide for a few days/weeks until it finally works it's way out of my brain.

I guess I'm saying a song like "24 Frames" or "Birthday Boy" would be a welcome earworm.

btw, I dare you...

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Dean, I totally don't understand your trust issues with catchy songs. That shit shot way over my head.

I'm not sure what TC's take is but with me if I like a song (or album) too much right away, that's not always a good sign. It's the ones that have to grow on me that have the potential to stay with me longer.

[John A Arkansawyer]

Dean, I totally don't understand your trust issues with catchy songs. That shit shot way over my head.

This isn't a common way for me to feel, but I do get it. For me, it means someone might've found the cheap and easy way to my heart. That's worth studying but not binging on.

btw, I dare you...

They sure don't make novelty songs like they used to, do they?

[Smitty]

Dean, I totally don't understand your trust issues with catchy songs. That shit shot way over my head.

I'm not sure what TC's take is but with me if I like a song (or album) too much right away, that's not always a good sign. It's the ones that have to grow on me that have the potential to stay with me longer.

I find that true, too.

[Iowan]

I'm imagining TC pacing around the house, looking nervously around corners. When confronted by Lurleen about this strange behavior, he responds "I saw 24 Frames and Birthday Boy lurking in the back yard, and they are up to no good. No good at all."

[Tequila Cowboy]

I'm imagining TC pacing around the house, looking nervously around corners. When confronted by Lurleen about this strange behavior, he responds "I saw 24 Frames and Birthday Boy lurking in the back yard, and they are up to no good. No good at all."

Ok, I needed that laugh. This has been a rough ass week. Seriously though the thoughts of Arkansawyer and Kudzu together have my feelings kind of right. Without talking about entire albums very, very few songs that stick with me immediately become favorites of mine. They're too easy and I didn't have to work for them. I have some exceptions; Centro-Matic Patience for the Ride, Slobberbone That is All and DBT Marry Me were all songs that I was singing along to before the first play was over, but I'm not sure I can pick out a dozen of those. Instead songs like DBT Used to be a Cop which I hated on first listen become favorites when I discover the nuance, the hidden things that make a song great. 24 Frames sounds like it was designed to be a catchy little ditty and written for people to like. That's where the trust thing comes in. I like Jason Isbell anyway and I'm going to like most everything he writes to one degree or another so when something is as obvious as 24 Frames I feel like that song was written for a different audience than me, and let be clear on that last bit, and that is perfectly OK. I don't hate the song but I don't like it much either. I hope this clears all that up.

[Iowan]

I'm imagining TC pacing around the house, looking nervously around corners. When confronted by Lurleen about this strange behavior, he responds "I saw 24 Frames and Birthday Boy lurking in the back yard, and they are up to no good. No good at all."

Ok, I needed that laugh. This has been a rough ass week. Seriously though the thoughts of Arkansawyer and Kudzu together have my feelings kind of right. Without talking about entire albums very, very few songs that stick with me immediately become favorites of mine. They're too easy and I didn't have to work for them. I have some exceptions; Centro-Matic Patience for the Ride, Slobberbone That is All and DBT Marry Me were all songs that I was singing along to before the first play was over, but I'm not sure I can pick out a dozen of those. Instead songs like DBT Used to be a Cop which I hated on first listen become favorites when I discover the nuance, the hidden things that make a song great. 24 Frames sounds like it was designed to be a catchy little ditty and written for people to like. That's where the trust thing comes in. I like Jason Isbell anyway and I'm going to like most everything he writes to one degree or another so when something is as obvious as 24 Frames I feel like that song was written for a different audience than me, and let be clear on that last bit, and that is perfectly OK. I don't hate the song but I don't like it much either. I hope this clears all that up.

I was laughing my ass off as I wrote it.

I get what you're saying, and I tend to find that things I immediately enjoy right away don't last that long. Of course, on my end, it's because I burn out on it. Just playing it over and over.

To your point on 24 Frames, I think it's musically catchy as hell, but lyrically it's pretty damn solid. That tells me it's not necessarily designed for someone else, or out of step with his current vein.

[Clams]

You guys think too much. If something's catchy, then go with it. Stop thinking about whether it's too catchy or if you're gonna like it more or less in the future. Just listen and enjoy. Btw I think 24 Frames is great.

[Tequila Cowboy]

You guys think too much. If something's catchy, then go with it. Stop thinking about whether it's too catchy or if you're gonna like it more or less in the future. Just listen and enjoy. Btw I think 24 Frames is great.

Clams, I getcha, I really do, but I have been an analytical music nerd since I was 18 years old and at 54 I'm likely not going to change much. It's just how I perceive things. Hell if my brain hadn't started working in that direction I'd still be listening to Journey Infinity and humming along to Wheel in the Sky.

[Zip City]

I don't think 24 Frames is bad, it's just my least favorite

[Tequila Cowboy]

I don't think 24 Frames is bad, it's just my least favorite

For the record I don't think it's bad either. I just don't enjoy it all that much.

[Jack Flash]

My review went up yesterday:

http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/revi ... -than-free

[lotusamerica]

My review went up yesterday:

http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/revi ... -than-free

Good review! Odd that Slant didn't review Southeastern, and I remember that Here We Rest review on here. I thought that was a relatively weak record compared to his others, but I recall that reviewer sounded over and done with Isbell and glad to see you got this slot this time.

Do you assign the stars or do they?

[Jack Flash]

I chose the rating.

[Tequila Cowboy]

The record is growing on me a little. The lyricism is truly outstanding as is the musicianship. Most of my issues come in the production and some of the arrangements (Sadler's repetitive guitar riff in 24 Frames is something I will likely never abide) but I can see songs I don't like much coming to life in a live setting. I so very disappointed when I first heard this album that I've been hoping for a bit of a turnaround and it's come. I'd still put it towards the bottom of his solo work but that's still something for a an artist this good. Current fave is the title track.

[Duke Silver]

Pitchfork weighs in

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/206 ... than-free/

[Clams]

My review went up yesterday:

http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/revi ... -than-free

Pitchfork weighs in

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/206 ... than-free/

So you've got two reviews there, one largely positive and one largely negative, and the interesting thing is that I agree with both of them.

[TW_2.0]

Pitchfork weighs in

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/206 ... than-free/

I tend to agree with this excerpt from the review:

In 2015, Southern identity occupies the center of a number of heated debates, and few artists are better poised to comment on its complexities than Isbell. But race has never been a compelling issue for him, and while class underlies every one of his songs, he long ago stopped writing about it with much acuity. His approach has become internalized, rooted in a self-consciously literary first-person perspective. And while he's created strong work within these parameters, I still lament the lack of urgency to engage with anything too far beyond the reach of his customary stand-ins. Isbell once again shows the world through familiar eyes, but here it just feels like we've seen it all before.